How To Pace A Picture Book

It doesn’t matter if you're writing a 70,000-word novel or a 600-word picture book you have to create a story with a good plot and that's well paced. Unlike a novel when writing a picture book you know how many pages you are working with as there are industry standards.The picture books I write normally adhere to the traditional 12 double-page spread formula. So when I start to work on a new story I take a piece of A4 paper and fold it to create 12 sections. To show you how I use this piece of paper to pace a story I'll describe how I wrote Captain and Nugget.

I knew the story was going to be about two dogs, Captain and Nugget. I had decided the theme was going to be about learning to share and I knew how this lesson was going to be learnt. So all I had to do was pace the scenes on my piece of paper.

On the first page I introduced one of the characters, being Captain. The next page I used to introduce both the second character, Nugget and the problem, Captain learning to share. I then skipped to the last page because I knew I wanted a happy ending with Captain realising that sharing has its benefits.

So by plotting the first two pages and the last I was left with nine. Having nine pages meant I was able to use the magic number three. Basically for an interesting story you can't have your character solve the problem on the first attempt, this would be boring. You shouldn't allow them solve the problem on the second go, you've not built up enough tension. Having them continue to fail would frustrate the reader so you need them succeed on the third. So I was able to split the nine pages into three sets of three, which allowed me to evenly pace the story.

I've used this method of pacing in many of my books and I'm sure I'll continue to use it, as it appears to work for me. In fact just this afternoon I grabbed my A4 note pad, created 12 sections and started to plot and pace out a new story.

Footnote:

When I'd finished this story I used it as part of an illustration course I was studying and at that time I also decided to turn it into an eBook (Amazon.com - Amazon.co.uk). As I no longer had to stick to the rigid 12 double-page spreads I increased the pages to 23 and was still able to create a story I felt was well paced.

I also write for: Electric Authors, The Hedgehog Shed and The Picture Book Den 


P.S.
I have three new distance learning courses commencing soon via Women On Writing:

How To Write A Picture Book And Get Published

Five Picture Books In Five Weeks - Advanced Course

How To Write A Hobby Based How To Book 

Plotting a Picture Book

It doesn’t matter if you're writing a 70,000-word novel or a 600-word picture book, creating an interesting story is simply a task of asking yourself some questions. Perhaps the most helpful source for what to ask yourself was penned by Rudyard Kipling (30^th December 1865 – 18th January 1936),

“I keep six honest serving-men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who.”

The four lines above have helped me on many an occasion to solve plotting issues. So what follows is how I use the above to help me construct a story.

Who?

The who is obviously your main character or characters. Unlike adult fiction keep your character numbers small. So it is easier for a child to follow the story.

What?

For a picture book writer there are two what’s to think about. Firstly what is your character? Are they animal, human, mythical create (fairy, wizard, witch etc.) or inanimate object. However many will tell you to keep away from these. Yet Disney still appears to create characters from cars, toys, gnomes etc. that children love. The second what is what happen or perhaps what is your theme? For example the theme for my story ‘A Book For Bramble’ is loneliness and missing a friend. 

Why?

Why is linked into the what, so you ask yourself what happens and why. For example in my book ‘The Best Jumper’ the what happens is my character Spindle the mouse has a jumper that appears to be shrinking however the why it is shrinking is because he is growing, something all children will be able to relate to.

When?

In picture book this is perhaps one of the less important questions. Novels for any age tend to be anchored in a time period. However many picture books are timeless. That is to say when reading them they could be set in any time period. A book about fairies inhabiting a different world could be now or it could be 100 years ago, there is no real relation to ‘our’ time.

Where?

Many picture books are set within their own world as in my book ‘Dog Did It’ which is a mythical world populated by trolls or in a world that sits along side our own. For example in my book ‘A Book For Bramble’ the place it is taking place could be almost anywhere in the world where a mouse lives in a hole under a hedge. As the author I see Teasel and his family living in the English countryside however he would be just at home in many countries in Europe or even in some parts of the US.

How?

This is quite a big question. However I normally use it to answer the question of how my character overcomes the problem I have given them to resolve. If you are a reader of picture books (something I would urge you to do as often as you can) you will notice the how to overcome the problem is not just used once but at least three times to give layers to your plotting.

I’m hoping you can now see how you can use these questions to help you plot your story and create one children will love and adult will be willing to read time and time again.   

I also write for: Electric Authors, The Hedgehog Shed and The Picture Book Den

P.S.
I have three new distance learning courses commencing soon via Women On Writing:

How To Write A Picture Book And Get Published

Five Picture Books In Five Weeks - Advanced Course

How To Write A Hobby Based How To Book 

Using Your Observations To Improve Your Writing

A few months ago I decided to treat myself to a book. So I popped along to the local book shop. Yes a book shop, they do still exist. I scrutinised the shelves and finally chose Your Creative Writing Masterclass by Jurgen Wolff.

As I read I marked sections with small slips of paper. By the time I'd finished reading there were a large number of such pieces of paper - a sign of a good book. In chapter 24 - It's in the details the author posed two questions:

Have you appealed to a variety of senses, described not only what things look like but also how they sound, smell and taste?

Have you selected details beyond the obvious?

These two questions urged me into action. I decided to start writing an observation diary. Basically I decided to record something 'beyond the obvious' every day. Here are just a few of my observations:

A steep hill, covered in old gnarled trees. At the base of the hill is a newly ploughed field. Almost motionless in the air, on the boundary line of wood and field a bird of prey searches for a meal. So still it looks as though an artist has added it with a quick flick of his brush.     

Four small birds (LBJ's - little brown jobs) sitting in a tree. Two of them produce long warbling chirps the other two quickly follow with short sharp chirps. They repeat themselves and I'm reminded of some boy band singing a repetitive pop song.

Humans wrapped against the cold, heads down and hands firmly shoved in pockets. Whilst canine companions ignore the damp and the cold. They eagerly sniff fence, grass and base of tree searching for the messages left for them.  

Now I know the above isn't my best work. However if I'd not forced myself to notice and make a note these observations would have been lost. In the short time I've been writing my diary I've already had two new picture book story ideas. I also have a growing library of observations that hopefully one day I can use to add a little depth to my writing.

So if you're a writer I'd like to offer the above as a tip. Perhaps your own observations will allow you to include in your writing 'details beyond the obvious.'

Blatant plug for my distance writing courses that start 6th July 2013:

How To Write A Picture Book And Get Published

Write 5 Picture Books In 5 Weeks - Advanced Course

How To Write A Hobby-Based How To Book 

Where I Found Inspiration For My Writing

Normally I exam mark over the summer period however this summer I worked for a language school and helped run a student residence, something I've never done before. The building was just weeks old and had a large number of teething problems including lifts not working, the basement flooding due to heavy rain, toilets mysteriously flushing etc. etc. Although the hours could be long and some of the issues frustrated me the experience has fuelled my imagination. I have so many new ideas I just don't know where to start.

Idea one: A picture book story about packing a case that came to me as I packed my bag (I had to stay on site at least three nights a week).  

Idea two: Another picture book idea which popped into my head whilst I took the picture on the right showing members of staff saying goodbye to another. 

Idea three: Yet another picture book idea which is based on a conversation I had with another member of staff. This one I've already written and sent off to my editor, so fingers crossed.

Idea four: An idea for a non-fiction title which was prompted by a chat with another member of staff. The exciting this is I already have an editor wanting to see the synopsis and it will mean I'll be writing with a co-writer for the first time.

Idea five: With each passing day more ridiculous things happened and I found myself madly scribbling things down in the note book I carry everywhere with me. Now I feel I have enough material for a mad-cap sit-com. I've never written one before but I now have the urge to give it a go.

So next time you're stuck for an idea go and give something new a go. Work outside your comfort zone. Meet new people. You never know it may fuel your imagination as mine has been. Now I'm off to work on the story for idea two.  

Unashamed plug for my latest children's writing course starting 6th October 2012