Writing Smarter by Writing Different

Although I’ve been putting my writing energy into middle grade fiction for the last couple of years, it’s hard for me to stay away from thinking about picture books too. In my job as a kindergarten teacher, I’m surrounded by little voices with big ideas. Parts of stories creep into my mind, since I can’t help thinking what if…

Or, if only I had a story to show my students about ___________.

The interesting thing I've found about starting to write picture books again is that it has increased my productivity with my middle grade novel. You'd think it'd be the opposite, since I spend less time working on the novel. But I find that writing picture books is great when I need a break from my novel or when I get stuck. It often gets my creative brain in gear again.

I can conceptualize an entire picture book in short space of time, something that's a bit more difficult with a middle grade novel and all the different pieces to weave together. And it helps to bring some fun back into writing when the novel is dragging me down a little. 

Just for fun, this week I've been trying to participate in NaPiBoWriWee - National Picture Book
Writing Week. It's a challenge where you write a picture book a day each day from May 1 - 7. 

I figure if I complete four I'm doing well, but I have a secret hope that I'll get a chance to catch up on the weekend.