Breakout workshop: Picture Book Pacing with Sylvie Frank

Sylvie Frank, an editor at Paula Wiseman Books, has edited many award-winning and critically acclaimed titles including BREATHE by Scott Magoon; STRICTLY NO ELEPHANTS by Lisa Mantchev, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo; MISS MARY REPORTING: THE TRUE STORY OF SPORTSWRITER MARY GARBER by Sue Macy, illustrated by C. F. Payne; FOOTER DAVIS IS PROBABLY CRAZY by Susan Vaught; and Storm by Donna Jo Napoli.

In her breakout session, Frank spoke about the collaboration process between author and illustrator, pacing while designing and editing a picture book, and she shared helpful examples to illustrate her points.


Components that determine pacing

--Plot. Where the foundation of the story is laid.

--Rising action. What begins the major conflict. Build suspense.

--Climax. The turning point in the story when characters come face to face with conflict.

--Falling action. Events that bring story to a close.

--Resolution. Loose ends are tied up.

--Length. Books are getting shorter, that's the trend. Picture books are at about 400 to 600 words, but

Discussed in workshop:
ROAR! by Tammi Sauer,
illustrated by Liz Sharin

don't let word count dictate storytelling.

--Format. You have 32 pages to tell the story. Each page should create a new experience for reader.

--Design. Art and text needs to work together.

--Page turns. Useful for creating suspense.

--Characters kids can relate to. needs a flawed character to change by the end of the story.

Discussed in workshop:
I WILL NOT EAT YOU
 by Adam Lehrhaupt, 
illustrated by Scott Magoon

--Emotion. Once the book is closed, what is the reader left to think about? If they close the book and no conversation is generated, it's probably not a great book.