November is Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo). The goal is to come up
with a new picture book idea every day. Impossible? You'll find lots of idea
starters and writing prompts on the PiBoIdMo
site and elsewhere.
Here are some more options for
brainstorming ideas. (The following is excerpted from You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and
Books for Kids and Teenagers. The book
is available for the Kindle,
in paperback,
or in Large
Print paperback. That book and Advanced Plotting will provide
lots of help as you write and edit.)
Take some time to relax and think about
each question. Delve deep into your memories. Take lots of notes, even if you’re
not sure yet whether you want to pursue an idea. You can put each idea on a
separate index card, or fill a notebook, or start a file folder with scraps of
paper. Do whatever works for you.
Find
story and article ideas based on your childhood experiences, fears, dreams,
etc.:
·
What’s the scariest thing that happened to you
as a child? The most exciting? The funniest?
·
What’s the most fun you ever had as a child?
What were your favorite activities?
·
What was the hardest thing you had to do as a
child?
·
What interested you as a child?
·
When you were a child, what did you wish would
happen?
Find
story and article ideas based on the experiences of your children,
grandchildren, students, or other young people you know:
·
What interests them?
·
What frightens them?
·
What do they enjoy?
·
What challenges do they face?
·
What do their lives involve – school, sports,
family, religion, clubs?
Other questions
to consider:
What hobbies or interests do you have
that might interest children?
What jobs or experiences have you had
that could be a good starting point for an nonfiction book or story?
Do you know about other cultures, or a
particular time period?
What genres do you like? Would it be fun
to write in that genre?
What genres did you like as a child? Did
you love mysteries, ghost stories, fantasies, or science fiction? What were
your favorite books? Why?
Look for inspiration in other stories,
books, or TV shows. Can you take the premise and write a completely different
story? Do you want to write something similar (a clever mystery, a holiday
story, or whatever)? Do you want to retell a folktale or fable as a modern
version, or with a cultural twist?
What do you see in the news? Is there a
timely topic that could make a good article? If you read about kids doing
something special, could you turn it into a profile for a children’s magazine? (This
wouldn't work as well for a picture book, but I’m being flexible with the concept
here.)
How might that news story work as
fiction? Could you base a short story or novel on a true story about someone
surviving danger or overcoming great odds?
Even the phonebook can provide
inspiration. Check the Yellow Pages: Could you interview an automotive painter,
animal trainer, or architect for a nonfiction book? What would life be like for
a child to have parents in that field?
Wherever you look for ideas, search for
things that are scary, exciting or funny – strong emotion makes a strong story.
Don’t preach. Kids don’t want to read
about children learning lessons. All stories have themes, but when someone asks
you about a mystery you read, you’re probably not going to say, “It was a story
about how crime doesn’t pay.” Rather, you’ll talk about the exciting plot, the
fascinating characters, perhaps even the unusual setting. A story’s message
should be subtle.
Now start brainstorming and have fun!
You Can Write for Children:
How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers is
available for the Kindle, in paperback,
or in Large
Print paperback.
AdvancedPlotting is
available in print or ebook at Amazon and Barnes
& Noble, or in various ebook formats at Smashwords.
