This is not a blog with longform advice about how to write a novel or find your main plot. I love those blogs. I read them all the time, and often refer clients to them, because when I'm editing, I find myself needing to google “what is denouement” and such constantly. And frankly, I don’t have anything new to say on big structural fixes because I find that those kind of grand changes specific to whatever book I’m editing.
However, as my clients will tell you, I’m very interested in the granular aspects of writing: verbs of utterance, page turns, continuity. Why rhyme is a trap (it’s not why you think), and why world building matters. I truly believe that paying close attention to these small bits of craft will improve your writing immensely. While I can’t say with certainty that you should save your plot twist for the first act, I can, without a doubt, tell you that you’re using the word “hissed” wrong.
I think the granular is important—and hopefully interesting—because it contains guarantees. I cannot promise you an agent. I cannot promise you book deal. But I can promise that if you pay attention to where you position the page turns in a picture book, your book will be stronger for it.
So what is Book Bites? It’s a blog that is going to explore all the little details and tricks I’ve learned over the years. Why are picture books 32 pages long and will yours be the exception? How do you write exposition that doesn’t feel like exposition? How and why should a picture book author use a book dummy? Why are imprints useful and not annoying things that clutter up an MLA citation?
I don’t have all the answers, but I have my answers. And I hope you’ll find them useful.