Writing as an illustrator

[AngelinaKizz]

I have several manuscripts I'm currently working on, and a wealth of ideas, but I think my writing skills need honing. Any suggestions on writing classes, author forums, etc? Is there anything for writing that's like SVS but not aggressively expensive? I looked into one that was recommended on a podcast I was listening to, and it sounded fabulous but it was 4500 USD for the year, which I absolutely cannot afford.

[Kim Rosenlof]

@AngelinaKizz
I found this SCWBI thread that recommends a few classes: https://www.scbwi.org/boards/index.php?topic=83281.0 . It is from 2017 though, so there be more available now than there was then.
I haven't done any of these so I can't personally recommend any. I know someone who is doing Storyteller's Academy and they like it this far.

[AngelinaKizz]

@Kim-Rosenlof thanks Kim! I’ll take a looK.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@AngelinaKizz here are a few free things you can do to improve your writing (and might even be more valuable than taking a class):

1. Read, read, read. Read a ton of books in the genre you're writing in. You might be surprised how much it will help you grow as a writer.

2. Analyze the books you read. If it's picture books, type out the text so you can study it without pictures. How is it plotted and paced? Where are the page turns? Why did they paginate that way? What makes the characters live? How is character growth shown? How is the storytelling shared between text and pictures? What did the author decide to say with text, and what did they leave out? Etc...

3. Join a critique group. Any critique group will be helpful, but you'll get the most value from a group that writes in the same genre, especially if some in the group are more advanced than you are.

Here are a few things you can do that have minimal cost:

1. Join SCBWI (if you haven't already). There is a wealth of information in the Essential Guide to Publishing for Children (AKA "The Book") as well as conferences and webinars hosted by SCBWI. Your SCBWI region might also have resources to help hone writing skills and many regions can get you in touch with a critique group (that's where I found my critique group). Periodically, there are also opportunities for critiques, mentorships, and intensives from industry pros like agents, editors, and more.

2. Check out these books:

• Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul
• How to Write a Children's Picture Book, Volumes 1-3 by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock

Full disclosure: I haven't taken any writing classes so can't recommend any. But I have found each of the above things invaluable in honing my skills as a writer.

[KevinTreaccar]

@AngelinaKizz My background is actually writing first, so always fun to see people coming from the other side.

I know a few options, though I haven’t tried all of them.

1. Writers Digest Webinars
   I used to do this. This works better with older books, though. Still, they help connect you to agent webinars.

2. SCBWI
   This is mostly about access. You get conferences. You get networking. You get an acronym that agents appreciate.

You can learn from both local/regional and national conferences. Whole bunch of one-off classes at once. There are also agent days and individual meetings occasionally to learn from.

3. 12x12
   Group with the goal to write 12 PB manuscripts in a year. They also have monthly webinars with authors and agent that cover different topics. July was Tension with Valerie Bolling. There’s also a forum much like SVS where you’re required to critique 3 manuscripts to post one for feedback. Good way to collect feedback.

4. The Writing Barn
   Austin-based (I’m from Dallas but more Austin SCBWI since they’re schedules have worked better for me). A LOT of classes. Some are 1-off. Others are 10-session classes. Variety of topics for PBs, MG and YA (I think).

I enjoyed the one-off class I did about Fractured Fairy Tales this past weekend with Sue Fliess. That’s my only experience with them, though.

5. Storyteller Academy
   I don’t know much about this one, but I got a good critique from the founder at the last Austin SCBWI conference.

[AngelinaKizz]

@Melissa_Bailey thankyou Melissa! I have been doing that, and really enjoy it! I've also been turning my manuscripts into book dummies to edit them and whittle down text vs images. I find it shifts so many times when it's become a dummy, that I'm almost starting from scratch haha. I will keep doing it though!

[AngelinaKizz]

@KevinTreaccar thanks Kevin! I'm just starting out on the writing venture, and enjoying it more than I thought I would. I've joined the Canadian version of scbwi but I would also like to join scbwi as it seems there's more resources available than canscaip offers.

[Melissa_Bailey]

@AngelinaKizz oh yes! That's SO valuable!

Being an illustrator is actually a bonus when writing a picture book. There's so much we word nerds want to say that doesn't really need to be said. Understanding how words and pictures work together and leaving room for the illustrations to tell part of the story really helps with word count. (And I think it makes for a better story, all around.)