Allyn Johnston has worked with many picture book greats. She is Vice President and Publisher of Beach Lane Books located in San Diego.
Allyn sees picture books as a piece of theater, as a performance piece. They are meant to be read out loud to children who cannot read. When they are read aloud, you want them to be so delicious that the person who is reading it out loud is having the best time which captivates the child being read and he or she has a great time with the reader.
The language in picture books is closer to poetry than anything else. That doesn't mean there is rhyme.
Don't forget when you're writing how much is about the pacing and the page turn. Your best friend, if you're a writer, is a glue stick and paper to make a picture book dummy. At Beach Lane, they too make book dummies all the time.
Leave room for the art. Worry about making the writing stunning and calm down about telling the artist what to do. Picture book manuscripts almost never need illustrator notes.
Study Mem Fox to learn about rhythm and language. Study books you love and how the page turns fall, etc.
Allyn wants the ending experience to be *sigh* perfect.
Great tips for PB writing. Thx!
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