Thank you Jill Esbaum for your interview. I hope it gave hope to those still waiting to be found.
http://picturebookbuilders.com/2015/01/no-guts-no-glory/
How Do I Start “Writing Funny”? by Anna Staniszewski I hear a lot of people say that they’d love to write something funny, but they’re not sure where to start. It can be overwhelming to set out to “write funny” because it puts a lot of pressure on you and on your story. Here are a few suggestions on how to get started. 1. Remember that first drafts are rarely funny. It’s easy to give up on a story when your initial draft feels flat. But guess what? That probably means you’re doing it right. My first drafts have maybe one chuckle in them, and the rest is booooring. For me, most of the humor comes in during revisions. 2. Create over-the-top situations. One way to help infuse humor into a story early on is to approach it with an over-the-top attitude. If you think a scenario is amusing, exaggerate it. Make the “what if?” of your story as big as you can. Setting up a situation that’s inherently funny will give you lots to work with later on. 3. Invent interesting characters. Writing a funny character can also be a daunting task, but one place to start is with the character’s voice. Does s/he have a unique way of speaking or seeing the world? Try playing around with it and pushing it as far as you can. Journaling in your character’s voice, for example, can help bring out her quirks. 4. Focus on the details. One of the “tricks” of writing humor is that the subject matter is often less important than how it’s conveyed. That’s why using unexpected details in your writing can help create another layer of humor that makes the story feel unique. Also, if your character is noticing interesting details around her, that will help add to her personality. 5. Have fun with it. This might sound obvious, but if you approach humor as a chore (“I have to make this funny!”) then it probably won’t be funny. And if you’re not having fun writing the story then, chances are, your audience won’t have fun reading it. Don’t be afraid to throw in things that are totally wacky, even if you’re not sure they’re usable. You have to be willing to take big risks in order to get big laughs. Bio: Born in Poland and raised in the United States, Anna Staniszewski grew up loving stories in both Polish and English. Currently, she lives outside Boston with her husband and their crazy dog. When she’s not writing, Anna spends her time reading, daydreaming, and challenging unicorns to games of hopscotch. She is the author of the My Very UnFairy Tale Life series and the Dirt Diary series. Her newest book, The Prank List, released on July 1st from Sourcebooks. You can visit Anna at www.annastan.com. So excited to see the first illustrations of my debut picture book! http://booksaroundthetable.wordpress.com/tag/boom-boom-by-sarvinder-naberhaus/ At our recent Ames area SCBWI event. We visited Lisa Victoria's art studio and made some friends, I mean literally "made" some Chia friends along the way. Can't wait till their hair grows! Life is about reconciling
who we think we are with who we really are T'was the Tom Turkey Thanksgiving
"They were supposed to go to Grandma's, but the blizzard came in fast The Buzzard family didn't know how long it would last. Wishing for a miracle there suddenly arrived eight Toms on the rooftop giving feathered high fives. "On Waddler, On Thomas On Hobbler and Wobble On Ditzy and Peckster and Plumer and Gobble." Their sleigh was soon loaded with the Buzzard family five with sweet yams and cream and two round pumpkin pies But nowhere in their midst was a bird found for carving with Tofurkey as main dish nobody would be starving. Through blizzard and storm and billowing snow the Tom Turkey sleigh flew past hill and grove When to grandma's cabin The Buzzard family arrived they snuggled under blankets and warmed up inside. And invited as guests to their holiday feast Were the Tom Turkey Eight who made possible the retreat All merried and dined as the blizzard buzzed by But after eating Tofurkey they all had to fly. The Buzzards waved their thanks and wished holiday dandy But most of all, They wished for some candy But knowing they shouldn’t wish For what what was NOT there Instead gave thanks (for the Tom Turkeys) And hoped to see them next year. "As we talk about cultivating passion, one of the most important things is for your passion to become greater than your fear." Deb Engle
Most people don't know it takes courage to be a writer. |
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April 2015
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