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Who’s Afraid of The Big Bad Book?

(A letter from a children's illustration agent to artists looking to make their own kids' stories, but who are also afraid—Part 1)

Brainstorming is, for me, the absolute best way to originate a new story idea. But not everyone has access to a good storming partner. Which leaves many artists afraid at the starting line.

It's natural to worry that you won't bring as much to the story part of a book as the illustrations, as you've already proven yourself as an artist—not an author. But if you can get something *good enough* going, you'll be surprised to discover that there are many publishers out there whose excitement over what you HAVE accomplished with your efforts will trump what you haven't gotten right. And you might even find a hand extended (and a nice little contract) to take you to the finish line.

But how do you get started? That's what this blog post is about. Here are a few preliminary pieces of advice for those who are afraid of making your own stories.

First of all, don’t be afraid! YOU are the biggest obstacle between yourself and having your very own book published.

Second, some of the books I’ve sold on behalf of artists in the last three years to publishers (and we’re talking some of the freshest and most delightful stories—oh, and did I mention with the best project budgets!) were born from artists who had absolutely no idea what they were doing. (Don’t tell anyone I said that though!)

So if you feel as if you’re in the dark, that’s totally okay. All you need is a flashlight. Which is why I’ve written a few tips for you below. I’ll write more in a week or two. But for now, let’s just take it slow and easy.

Q. How to start? Where to begin?

Some of us realize ideas visually, while others work editorially. Figure out which is your way, and rock it.

Example A: Start visually

Begin with that funny little sketch you're doodling while the baselessly smug barrista catches up on his 14 previous orders. Who is that lazy ladybug or greedy gorilla? Don’t leave him on a crumpled napkin. Bring him to life. Maybe he’s your start. He didn’t appear out of nowhere for no reason. Plus, you already know how he looks.

Example B: Start editorially

Pick two random things. For example: horses and high heels. Let a hazy storyline emerge. Maybe there’s a horse that has nothing but disdain for messy stalls and poorly manicured fields. Her fantasies are of runway shows, not sporting events! Oh, life’s cruelties. (Hoof to forehead.)

Q. You’ve got a character in mind. NOW what?

Consider infusing one of these four key issues listed below into your storyline.

(This list of critical picture book issues is borrowed from Blue Apple Book’s spring 2013 catalog and at least one of these struggles can be found at the heart of most successful kids’ stories.)

Separation, loss, and reunion

Dependence, independence

Insecurity (including feelings of jealousy, envy, rivalry), security

Delayed gratification, instant gratification

These universal struggles will resonate within anyone who picks up your book. They surface in childhood—so they’ll matter to kids. And they continue throughout life—so they’ll speak to the parents reading your books (who happen to double as your consumers).

Try to make a book that matters. That helps kids understand and cope with our world. (That said, pleeeease don’t be too serious! What kid wants a serious book? Seriously. Wait, no, NOT seriously!)

Oliver Jeffers's The Incredible Book-Eating Boy is a great example of a book that effectively tackles an important issue. In reading this book, a child will see that by doing something too much or too fast (seeking instant gratification), one puts him or herself at a disadvantage. The message is there for the taking, but it is delivered in a satirical and visually entertaining way. No yawns here. Just a little something important learned in between giggles.

Q. People or anthropomorphized animals?

If you decide to tackle an uncomfortable theme in your pet project, consider realizing the protagonist as an animal. Using animals as people is an effective tool in children’s books. They add emotional distance for the reader, when a book’s message has the potential to prove powerful or painful.

Take Rotten Ralph as an example. Ralph can be reallllly rotten as a cat. But as a kid, he’d be downright disturbed! So as long as Ralph is just a maniacal cat, we can explore misbehavior and consequence in a way that doesn’t feel preachy—but, instead, humorous.

Q. What does the process look like in action?

Okay. So let’s try this out. Say I choose insecurity as my underlying conflict. I want to do a book about a character that suffers from a bad case of the envies. Well, how can I show he’s prone to jealousy? Maybe he can be a deep dark green. Okay, maybe it’s a frog! Maybe it’s a frog that grows a deeper shade of green every single time he has a jealous thought, which he’s terrified his friends will see.

We’ve got our flawed character. Now what’s his story? How about he decides to stay submerged in water, where no one can actually see his body changing colors. Which leads to a simple yet comical story conflict. Sure, he can get away with it for a while. But his excuses will only last so long before others are sure to become skeptical. (And he’s turning awfully prune-y.)

Q. Why does it look easier than it feels to make an original story?

If you want to face your story-generating fears, and make the process easier for yourself, you’ll need to have an almost freakishly loose mind, a wide, wide openness to whatever symbolic connections emerge, and by far most important of all: a complete and total willingness to fail.

If this blog post encourages you to realize your very own story, hooray! If you’re ready to have fun and are also truly willing to fail, congratulations!

I wish you the best of luck. Please don’t be afraid of trying to take an idea you have and realize it. And more soon.

Love Hallways, Kirsten

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