Saturday, November 27, 2010

Monday, November 22, 2010

A Thankful Post

Greetings, readers.

Believe it or not, it's snowing here in Seattle. And though this wet white stuff makes driving frustrating and slow, this emerald city has put on a wintry coat that shimmers in the cold air. Pine trees lining the highway are particularly beautiful, frosted in a dusting of snow.

So in these days leading up to Thanksgiving, I'm offering a post of thanks.

I'm thankful for...
snow
a warm house
good friends
health
family
great books of all kinds, all lengths, and with all kinds of stories
authors and illustrators
editors and agents
inspiring music--music that inspires you to be creative
coffee and cocoa

What are you thankful for?

Liz and Madge

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

We're back...with advice and renewed energy!

October was a whirlwind of crunching leaves, chilly mornings, book signings, and school visits. While it was incredibly fun and intoxicating to promote my book, I'm glad for the quietness of November, when I can sit for a bit and think...and write.

So in anticipation of more regular, involved blog posts, I'm sending you, dear readers, off to a few more blogs for some great instruction and insight.

The host site for PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) has an excellent post about picture book layout. Read this and follow the dummy diagrams, even if you're a writer. Each page turn should be meaningful and build story suspense until the end.
http://taralazar.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/picture-book-construction-know-your-layout/

The following two sites offer opinions and suggestions on how to succeed as a freelance illustrator. I want my site to have relevant information for both writers and illustrators--the collaborative genius behind every picture book.

http://pbjunkies.blogspot.com/2010/10/tips-for-illustrators.html

http://jonasillustration.com/blog_jonas_sickler_illustration/2010/10/how_to_market_yourself_as_a_freelance_illustrator/34/

Best wishes to all of you, and Happy Writing!

Liz and Madge